Visit to BKK Feb. 14-17,2016

I visited BKK, Thailand Feb 14-17 with my wife and daughter. This main purpose was to meet with Supaporn-san and to visit famous places there with her help.

I had a lot of interesting experiences in this visit. But unfortunately I lost my digital camera. So I only reports one event in those issues.

I have learned that there are some bakeries near Santa Cruz Church that sells "Portuguese dry cake" that is made in very old style from the VOA learning English program. Its name is "kanom farang kutiji jiin " in Thailand language. The cake is made from duck eggs, sugar, wheat flour and raisins, without baking powder or yeast. It has been made in the same way in 500 years ago.

I requested Supaporn-san to visit the Santa Cruz Church with us. She guided us to the church on the third day and we were able to eat the cake and to buy it as souvenir. All my colleague said it was very good. Thank you very much, Supaporn-san.

BKK, Feb 14-17

Taiwan coffee

Taiwan coffee package

a shop sells Taiwan coffee where I bought it on Dec 19

a map that shows where 16 indigenous people live

I bought Taiwan coffee that grew in Taiwan when my visit to the country. It cost ＮＴ＄750, about 2800 yen, it was expensive. It tasted good but very different from one that I usually drink in Japan.

I found a word "Paiwan" in the package of the coffee. Paiwan is one of 16 indigenous groups in Taiwan. Someday I would like to visit a village where one indigenous group live.

Visit to Kaohsiung and Tainan in Taiwan Dec.17-20, 2015

「飛虎将軍廟」 at 台南市安南区

「安平古堡」；Ford Zeelandia

「林百貨の屋上」

「佛光山」　with Mr.Lu

with Mrs.Lu at Ciatou Station of KMRT

  

 I visited Kaohsiung and Tainan in Taiwan on Dec.17-20 last year. My main purpose was to see Mr.Lu and to visit several places related to Japan, especially old buildings that were built under the rule of Japan. 

On Dec.18 Mr. and Mrs. Lu took me a lot of places including "Sugar Production Factory Museum","a fast food restaurant that serves milkfish(Tainan's representative food)","Hiko-Shougun-Shrine(that honors a Japanese soldier)","Tan-tsu-men restaurant","Fort Zeelandia(安平古堡)" "Hayashi-Hyakka（林百貨）(recently renovated building)","Fo Guang Shan Monastery（佛光山）","Kizan-Buttoku-den（旗山武徳殿）".

I really appreciate to their help. I have get good information about Kaohsiung, Tainan and Taiwan because of their guide. 謝謝 

I would like to visit Taiwan again in two or three years. I will plan to include other activity like mountain climbing in the next visit.

You can see more photos including ones taken on other days by click following link.

  

Kaohsiung and Tainan Dec.17-20,2015

Bike friend from Hong Kong

Last Monday, I guided a 31-year-old man from Hong Kong named Eric in Wakamatsu ward. 

He has a plan to travel Japan by his bike until Nov.1st. He said that his last destination is Kobe（神戸）  We met at "Kampo no Yado Kitakyushu"（かんぽの宿北九州） at about 2 pm. After our visit to wind powered generation systems in Hibikinada landfill area（響灘埋立地）, we went to Wakamatsu civic hall（若松市民会館） to apply for a campsite named "Shoubu-dani Campsite"（菖蒲谷キャンプ場） where he stayed at the day. After that, we had a dinner at a restaurant named "Yabu-Soba"（藪そば）. 

He said that he works for an IT company and he made a plan to visit Japan now because of having his first baby in this December. I was interested in his solar panel that he is bringing with his bike. He said that it is very useful because many campsites has no electricity. He needs electricity to use his smartphone. 

After the dinner he used a ”sento”（銭湯）to clean up his body and I took him to the campsite, 

We had enjoyable time under very good weather.

Tour de Saiki, 2015

I took part in a cycle event called "Tour de Saiki" on Sep. 20th. It was my second participation to the event after 2013. At that time, I fell down from my bike and injured on my left shoulder.

I entered 102 km course and finished it in about eight hours. The last part of the course included steep slopes to a lighthouse, so I walked with my bike for about one hour.

I stayed at an accommodation run by a fisherman at the night with my friend. Next day, we traced the course by my car.

The first photo is a scenery from the high place on the course. The second is a place where I felt down and injured on my shoulder.

"O-mikuji" robot by YASKAWA in JR station

"Kurosaki" area in Yahata-nishi ward in Kitakyushu is my home town. However, there have not been  a good news in this area  for a long time because the area's population has been decreasing and a lot businesses had closed. But, now I can present a good news about my home town.

"YASKAWA" is a manufacturing company that is famous for building industry robots and has its headquarter in "Kurosaki" area. Recently, "YASKAWA" has opened a robot museum near the JR "Kurosaki"station and has exhibited its "O-mikuji" robot at the station's entrance area. Today I saw its working and felt a little bit proud of being born in "Kurosaki".

After my mother's death

My mother passed away on June 6th. I had been in mourn mourning for her death and away from writing this blog in recent days, but now I I've returned.

Last Sunday, I went fishing at a fisherman's port to catch small fishes named "aji". I caught a good amount of "aji" and I cooked them for that day's dinner dish. It is named "Nanban-zuke".

Yoshitomi ７０kilo walk

Last Saturday to Sunday, I took part in a walking event named "Yoshitomi 70 kilo walk" held in Yoshitomi-machi in Fukuoka prefecture. Yoshitomi-machi locates next to Nakatxu city in Oita prefecture.

We started at 9pm on May 23. But, I could not complete the event, so I gave it up at 30km from the start point at 4am on May 24 because of pain on my legs. It was very hard for me to walk 70 kilo.

If I take part in this event againg next year, I would have enough training for the event.

a little bit busy "Golden Week"

This "Golden Week", especially from May 2 to 6, was a little bit easy for me.

On May 3rd, I took part in a cycle event named "Tour de Kunisaki"（ツールド国東） in Oita prefecture. I participated in the event in 2012, but I could not do in 2013 and 2014 because of some reasons.

The event was held in very bad condition, so heavy rain. It took about five and a half hours  (including about one hour rest) for me to finish 75km course. It was very hard but finally I could reach the goal. After the event, I stayed at an accommodation named "Kunugi-ya"（檪舎） where I have stayed several times in the past. It is a B & B style accommodation run by a retired couple.

On May 5th, I rode bike with a Thailand woman and my English teacher (from Fuji) around Mizmaki, Ashiya, Okagaki area. She visited Japan as a member of a tour from Thailand. The tour members came back home but she stayed in Japan alone since April 30.

The weather was very fine and I was glad to show them the good bike road along the Hibikinada（響灘）. And she was impressed by the beauty of the flower of "Nan-jya-Mon-jya no ki"（なんじゃもんじゃの樹） in Okanominato shrine（岡湊神社） in Ashiya town（芦屋町）. After that I invited her to my home's small dinner.

On our first plan, I would take her to the Kokura-jo castle（小倉城） in Kitakyushu area on May 6. But she had problem in her legs so she gave up the visit to Kokura, and I took her to her accommodation, "Khaosan Fukuoka Annex" in Fukuoka city by my car.

She gave me  a lot of souvenirs from Thailand including a Thai Silk's scarf to my wife, several cushion covers and many Thailand snacks. I am looking forward to seeing her again in Thailand.

feed a bird

On May 9, I went to fishing to the river mouth of Onga-gawa. I would give two fishes that I caught to a big heron. But the second one was stolen by a kite before the heron. It is just a Japanese saying "Tonbi ni Abura-age wo Sarawareru"（トンビに油揚げをさらわれる）.

Toyota G's Movie

I had been thinking that I had already seen these background in this movie. But later I found that it was taken in Kokura, Kitakyushu city for which I have worked as a local government employee.

This is a very interesting video, I think.

"Sanpou-Syoujyo"

I have just finished a book called "Sanpou-Shoujyo"（算法少女）. "Sanpou" means mathematics and "Syoujyo" means a girl. This is an interesting story, I think. There is a same name's book that was written in Edo era. But, no one knows the name of its author. This story is a fiction that is about a girl who writes "Sanpou-Shoujyo".

In Edo era, the unique mathematics（和算） that is developed in Japan was popular among ordinary people. They enjoyed it as a kind of hobby.

The book includes people's custom in those days and tells atmosphere of people's life.

The main target reader is younger adult, but many people can enjoy it. I recommend you to read it.

a sardine

In the past, fisherman in Japan could catch a lot of sardine and it was very popular fish among ordinary people. But now it is not easy for people to catch it in their neighborhood.

I have heard that people can recently catch it in Onga-gawa river's mouth. So I tried to catch it last Saturday.

Finally I caught only one sardine but I was satisfied about the result because I got it for the first time in more than 20 years.

At the same time, I caught three gizzard shads.

I cooked the sardine for "sashimi" and the gizzard shads for "nanban-zuke".

Mt.Kazashi and Mt.Yahazu

Today, I climbed Mt.Kazashi（風師山） and Mt.Yahazu（矢筈山） in Moji ward（門司区） with my friends.They are not so high mountains, but we enjoyed walking in mountain area because of good weather.

We saw the good view of Kanmon channel（関門海峡） from Mt. Kazashi. And we visited the former military's buildings on the top of Mt. Yahazu. We saw the former cannon sites and ammuntion depot. They were built in Meiji era for preparing for the attacks from China. We were surprised that there are these building on the top of mountain.

A friend on the Internet has become my reaｌl friend

 

Last weekend I visited Nogoya（名古屋） city, Aichi prefecture. My main purpose was to meet with a friend. He is an American who is studying Japanese language in Japan. We have corresponded for about seven years on the Internet but had not yet met each other directly. So it was the first time for us to have a meeting. 

We enjoyed conversation mainly in Japanese during Saturday's dinner and next day's sight-seeing in Handa（半田） city. We visited an old sake brewery and its neighborhood. It was a very fine day.

We ate "Kisimen"（きしめん） that is a representative food of this area. It was very good.

  

Regina Carter's new album

Regina Carter who is African-American Jazz violinist in USA is one of my favorite musicians. I bought her latest album, "Southern Comfort" about two month ago and I am often listening to it, it is very good.

Her 2012 album, "Reverse Thread"'s theme is about "African music" and this album is about her family history and about the music that her grandfather might hear in his generation.

"Toshi-koshi-soba"

There is a custom in Japan of eating "soba", Japanese buckwheat noodles  on December 31. It is called "toshi-koshi soba". Most people buy it and eat in their house or eat it at a restaurant, but I tried homemade soba on that day.

The first photo is the noodles before boiled. The second is the finished dish. The third is a pasta machine to make it.

Shinizo Abe's Victory Likely to Raise Conflict with Neighbors (VOA Special English program, translated into Japanese)

This time, I try to translate VOA Special English News program into Japanese, because it is important to know how foreign media have dealt with the election, I think.

original news

日曜日、保守的政策の元で、日本経済が後退しているにも関わらす、安倍晋三首相と彼の同盟者は国会における三分の二の議席を簡単に獲得し、大勝した。

安倍氏の勝利は彼の経済改革の遂行を推進すると同時に、彼は隣国との緊張を増すような政策を遂行できるようになった。

安倍首相の率いる自由民主党とその連立している公明党は、衆議院における議席数を増やし、安倍首相は、勝利を称賛した。

「私は、公明党と連立政権を続けていくことができることで安心した。また、同時にこれは大変責任あることだと感じている。」

安倍氏は、この勝利は、有権者が自分の経済政策、いわゆるアベノミクスを支持してくれている表れだと言っている。この政策は、経済を後退させている日本の莫大な借金をコントロールするため、税金を引き上げた。選挙結果は、労働や農業政策についての法規制緩和のような不人気な改革を進めることを容易にするものである。

選挙結果は、また安倍氏が韓国や中国を怒らせそうな国家主義行動をとらせことになるだろう。去年、軍人を祀っている場所を訪問することによって、安倍氏は北東アジアの隣国を怒らせた。それら軍人は第二次世界大戦で死亡した戦犯も含まれている。

安倍政権の、日本が戦時中に行ったことを含む歴史教科書の修正しようとする取組はまた他国の抵抗を引き起こすことになっている。政権は、性的奴隷として軍隊による強制的な女性の使用、いわゆる従軍慰安婦の記述を取り除こうとしている。

パク・ヒューラックは、韓国の国民大学で政治科学を教えている。彼は、これらの強い感情を伴うことから離れて、安倍氏の動きをみることが緊張を緩和することになる、「北東アジアの国々、中国、韓国、日本は歴史を客観的にみる準備ができていない。そこで、自分は安倍氏には、歴史に焦点を当てずに、北東アジアにおける平和と相互の繁栄を保証する実践的な政策を強調することを望んでいる。」と言っている。

日本はまた、東シナ海の二つの異なる島々について、韓国と中国両国と領有権の問題を抱えている。

日本の最も近い国々は、安倍氏が、軍隊をより強いものとするために、憲法を変更することを支持していることをについて、懸念を示している。日本の憲法は、「平和主義」‐紛争は、平和的手段で解決されるべきであるとの信念‐を基礎としている。

世宗大学の政治科学の教授、ホサカユウジによると、日本は中国の成長する軍事力について、強い懸念を感じている。

彼によると、日本はまた、軍事能力を増している中国の軍備拡大に均衡を保つため、軍備増強を必要としている。日本は独自の軍隊を必要としているが、そのためには憲法を変える必要がある。

合衆国は、日米同盟の大きな部分を占めるとして、軍備拡大を支持している。しかし、アメリカの高官は、日本が戦時の歴史を塗りつぶしてしまおうとする試みに対して、批判している。

"Tebasaki-Gyouza"

Yesterday, I tried a new recipe for "tebasaki-gyouza"（手羽先餃子）.　It is a dish that a content of consisting of  "gyouza" is stuffed into a chicken wing. It was a little bit difficult to get rid of small bones from chicken wings, but other things was  were not difficult. I will try again it again, but at that next time, with other its content I will try making it with something else such as chicken meat mice mince.

guide for a Taiwanese

On Nov.12, I had a little bit international experience. He is a Taiwanese man who has travel with his bike for 10 days in the northern part of Kyushu.  He came to Kitakyushu at 6:30 pm from Fukuoka after he stayed for his first two days in Japan.

At first I took him to a "soba" restaurant named "Shiraisi"（しらいし）. We ate "Tempura-soba"that is a set of "soba" and "tempura". Tempura were mainly "anago"（アナゴ）, but including an ingredient, rarely used for tempura, a fig. Later, we went to a hotel that is the highest building in the area to see the night view of the city.

We communicated each other by using English. Occasionally, our conversation did not go well, but we could understand something we meant by writing some "kanji".

I have already learned that there are some internal issues in Taiwan, but I was glad do hear about them directly from a native.

He gave me a "karasumi" as a souvenir. It is a dried mullet roe that is s special product in his province where is the southern part of Taiwan. And it is a very expensive food in Japan. "Thank you very much".